Method of forming forged fulcrums



Aug. 5, 1924. 1,503,573

L. L. WHITNEY METHOD FORMING FORGED FULCRUMS Filed May 5. 1920 5206551 v lore/z 1:

Patented Aug. 5, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOREN L. WHITNEY, OF HAMMOND, INDIANA, ASSIG-NOR TO AMERICAN STEEL FOUNDBIES, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

METHOD OF FORMING FORGED FULCR'UMS.

Application filed May 5,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOREN L. WHITNEY, a citizen of the United Statearesiding at Hammond, in the county of Lake and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of Forming Forged Fulcrums, of which the follow ing is a specification.

This invention relates to a method of making brake beam fulcrums. I v

The object of the invention is to simplify and improve the method of making brake beam forged fulcrums in a manner to reduce the cost and time of making the fulcrum, and in a manner to produce a fulcrum adapted to meet the requirements for successful commercial use.

This and other objects are accomplished by means of the method disclosed on the accompanying sheet of drawings, in which Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a blank in the form ofa steel bar;

Figure 2 is a side view and Figure 3 a plan view of the same blank after it has been provided with a loop portion under a drop hammer; Figure 4 is a side elevation and Figure 5 a plan view of the same blank with a block inserted in the loop portion for building up the stock preparatory to providing the loop end with a tension rod seat;

Figure 6 is a side elevation and Figure 7 a plan view of the same blank after the tension rod seat has been formed; and,

Figure 8 is a fragmentary plan view of the completed fulcrum after the legs there of have been bent into parallelism.

The various novel features of my invention will be apparent from the following description and drawings and will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the figures of the drawing, it will be noted that a blank 10 is first provided, which preferably is in the form of a steel bar. This bar is heated to a welding heat, especially at the middle section thereof, whereupon the blank is placed under a drop hammer and a loop 11 formed in said blank at the middle portion by suitable drop hammer dies, it being noted that the leg portions 12 of the blank remain substantially in the same straight line with 1920. Serial No. 378,976.

the loop 11 offset with respect to said legs to form a pocket 13. A block of metal 14, which is heated to a welding heat, is then inserted in the pocket 13 formed by the loop 11, as shown in Figures 4 and 5. The purpose of inserting this block 14 into the loop portion 11 is to build up suficient stock at the tension rod'end preparatory to forming a tension rod seat in the fulcrum. After this block is inserted in the loop portion 11, the blank and the block are placed under a drop hammer and a tension rod seat 15 is formed by meansof the drop hammer dies, said tension rod seat being shown in Figures 6 and 7 After the tension rod seat is formed, the-fulcrum legs 12 are bent into parallelism to form the completed fulcrum,

as shown in Figure 8. It will be noted that the tension rod seat 15 extends diagonally with respect to the planes of the fulcrum legs 12 in'order that the seat 15 may receive the horizontally arranged tension rod when the fulcrum proper'is turned to an angle to permit the slot 16 between the fulcrum legs 12 to receive an inclined brake lever.

By means of this method a fulcrum may be quickly and inexpensively made, the prod not being a fulcrum adapted to meet the requirements for successful commercial use.

It is my intention to cover all modifications falling within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

I claim: 7

1. The method of forming a fulcrum consisting in providing a blank, heating same, providing the blank with a curved offset loop portion at a point midway of its length, inserting a piece of metal in the closed end of said loop portion to build up the stock at such point, and forming a tension rod seat at such built-uppoint.

2. The method of forming a fulcrum consisting in providing a blank, forming a curved offset loop portion therein at a point midway of its length, welding a block of material in the closed end of said loop portion to build up the stock, forming a ten- 

